Apparatus for winding paper or a like web



Aug. 16, 1932. A. THOMAS APPARATUS FOR WINDING PAPER OR A LIKE WEB .Filed Jan. 10. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l n T.. vA P m/ w 0: r r .Mr 4 SM m/ E p Aug. 15, 1932- A. THOMAS APPARATUS FOR WINDING PAPER 0R A LIKE WEB Filed Jan. 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wM M p 7n 0 N 5 r W NPM/A u m/ 4.- p s F Patented Aug. 16, I932 UNITED? "STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR THOMAS, THORNTON HEATH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE ACCOUNTING & TABULATIN G CORPORATION OF GT. BRITAIN LIMITED, OF LONIDON, ENGLAND APPARAT S r012. WINDINGPAPER on A LIKE WEB 7 Application filed Ianuary 10, 1930, Serial No. 419,982 and in Great Britain April 5, 1929.

This invention relates to apparatus for winding up paper or alike web which is fed to a roller on which it is to be Wound.

' The invention is particularly applicable to tabulating or like printing machines. In such machines the platen is rotated one step after each printing'operation and the paper isfed from a roll on to the platen, the paper i passing over the platen being allowed to hang down, or it is merely rolled up by hand at intervals, and supported on a backof the carriage;

The tabulator therefore differs from a typewriter in which the carriageafter each stand at the r lmpression moveslongitudinally and is only stepped round in a rotary motion after each line, but in this case also paper is fed to the platen and after a few lines it stands out on a support at the back,- but if the typewriter was used-for making records-in considerable lengths of paper, so that it was fed from a roll to the platen, the same inconvenience would obtain as in a tabulator in that the paper, after being printed upon onthe platen,

would simply hang loose at the back or have to be rolled up.

In both forms of mechanism the carriage is provided with a ratchet wheel which is actuated by a feed pawl mounted so as to give an adjustable feed;

Supposing that the tooth space on the ratchet wheel is equivalent to the spacing of one line, the feed pawl is usually adjustable so as-to give a. spacing of one to three lines at i least in both cases. a i

' In a tabulator the feed pawl is'operated automatically after each printing operation but in a typewriter this is'effected by hand. i

In winding paper or a like web upon a roller, the eiTective diameter atwhich it is wound increases and therefore the angular movement necessaryto wind a given length decreases. i

The main obJect of the present lnventlon is to provide means of: taking up the paper passing from the platen of tabulating or like printing machines of the kind hereinbefore referred to, and a further object is to provide means whereby the whole of a given leng'th'of paper or web fed from the machine is wound on to the roll, in spite of the variation in size of the roll.

In accordance with'the present invention a paper winding device comprises a paper receiving roller, a rotatable pulley mounted (Jo-axially with said roller, a ratchet device connecting the pulley to the roller, and a spring connected to the pulley and adapted to be tensioned when the pulley is turned in a direction to cause the ratchet to run free, whereby when the pulley is released the spring returns the pulley and drives the roller through the ratchet.

Conveniently the pulley may be rotated by a tape which iswound on the pulley, a pull on the tape tensioning the'spring without moving the roller and the release of the tape permitting the spring to rotate the roller through the ratchet, so that the paper is Wound on the roller.

Preferably, the roller is associated with a means conveniently in the form of a second.

, return of the carriage through the agency of a bell'crank, one arm of which is engaged by the carriage on its return and the other connected to the tape. a

In such arrangement the return of the carriage pulls the tape and coils the spring of the roller which, as the carriage is moved in the next sequence of operations, causes the return of the bell crank to normal position by rewinding the tape on its reel, and paper is taken on the roller.

In the application of the invention to a tabulating machine the tape may be released, after having been unwound from the pulley, when the paper has passed the platen subsequently to printing so that the length of paper is wound onthe roller.

In typewritin'g, tabulating or like print ing machines, the length of paper passing the platen subsequent to printing is usually of a predetermined length and withthe employquently, each time the pulley is released thev spring 'will retain a certain increasing amount of tension, as the effective diameter of the roller increases, but wlll always contain the same conserved power each time the pulley is turned in the direction in which the ratchet runs free. Thus, variation of the diameter of the roll of paper on the roller is acc-ommo dated automatically without the provision of complicated means to vary the angular movement of the roller. 7

Further due to the provision of the spring for winding the roller the speed of winding of the roller is independent of the speed of feeding the paper to the roller.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understoodreference will now be made to the accompanying. drawings which show, by Way of example, the construction of a rewinding device according to the invention as applied to a tabulating machine, for instance, of the kind disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 26896/13, the receiving roller being disposed to receive the paper from the platen of the tabulator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation the receiving roller and operating means according to the present invention together with the supports for applying it to a tabulator of the kind referred to.

- F=ig. 2-is a sectional elevation of the operating parts of the roller to enlarged scale.

- Fig. 3 is a pictorial view showing the double ratchet arrangement controlling the roller.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the receiver according to the present invention applied to a tabulator.

In the drawings like reference numerals designate same or similar parts.

Referring to the drawings the roller R is carried on a frameincluding a support 1 at one end for a spring pressed axis pin 2 carried on an operating knob 3 and at the other end an axis pin P also provided with an operating knob, such as indicated at 3, but not spring pressed.

The frame at this end may be provided with two ears 4 and 5 to carry this axis pin P and for the location on the axis pin of the spring and ratchet gear now to be described.

On the pin is mounted a sleeve 6 which forms the arbor of a coil spring 7 the inner end of the spring being connected to the arbor, the sleeve carrying a disc 8 which is formed to confine the spring about the sleeve,

and to which the outer coil of the spring is connected, the disc being relatively movable on the sleeve for the extent permitted by the coils of the spring.

Conveniently, the spring is confined on the sleeve 6 by stamping out tongues 9 from the disc to stand at right angles thereto, these tongues extending beyond the spring to form dogs 10 engaging with a reel 11 mounted on the pin P and to which reel the tape T aforesaid is connected."

It will be seen therefore, that if the tape is wound on the reel and the dogs 10 of the disc 8 aforesaid are connected to the reel 11 that the unwinding of the tape will cause a corresponding movement in the disc relatively to the sleeve6 on which the disc is mounted, thereby the spring will be coiled and that consequently if the tape is released the spring will act to rewind the tape on the reel.

Integrally formed with the reel 11 is a ratchet wheel 12, the pawl 13 of which is carried on a disc 14 juxtaposed thereto and carried on a sleeve 15 carried by the pin P and fixed to the pin in any suitable manner, as for instance by a snug screw 16 passing through the sleeve into the pin P, the pawl 13 being arranged in relation to the ratchet 12 so that the disc by which it is carried takes part in the movement of the reel effected by the uncoiling ofthe spring. The sleeve 15 of the disc 14; is provided with a second ratchet wheel 17 having its teeth arranged in opposite direction with those of the first and with this ratchet wheel a spring pressed pawl 18 engages; this pawl may as shown be on the juxtaposed ear 4 of the frame against which this secondv ratchet 17 is disposed. 1 On the pin and preferably on the other side of the ear l against the second ratchet is fixed a disc 19 for engagement with the roller R for the paper, the: disc 19 being preferably provided with an eccentric stud 20 parallel to the pin P on which the disc 19 is mounted for engagement in an eccentric recess 21 in the end of the roller R so as to afford a driving connection therewith.

lVith such-an arrangment the uncoiling of the spring 7 causes a rotation of the first ratchet 12 and the disc 14: carrying the pawl 13 operating'therewith, the movement being transmitted through the sleeve 15 to the pin P a-ndthence to the disc 19 carrying the eccentric stud 20 to the roller R whilst the second ratchet 17 runs freely under the pawl 18 carried by the ear 4 aforesaid, the second ratchet 17 preventing retrograde movement at the end ofa Winding operation tending to be effected by any tension in the paper being wound on.'

It will be seen, therefore, that for given lengths of paper to be wound on a roller, the angular movement of theroller will decrease as the effective diameter increases, since the tension in the paper coming from the platen will arrest the roller when the winding oper* ation is complete. Consequently the spring retains a certain amount of conserved power.

In the employment of a roller as herein described on a tabulating machine the latter may be provided with a rocking lever to which the tape T is connected, e. g. in manner hereafter described, and the lever automatically rocked so that at each operation the tape is given a predetermined movement.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4:, wherein is illustrated a portion of atabulator in which the paper leaving the platen is pulled therethrough a predetermined amount sub sequent to printing, a rocking lever 22 is pivoted eccentrically at 2 k to a rotatable disc 26, so as to be reciprocated upon the disc being rotated. Attached to the lever 22 by a pivotal connection 80 is a rod 23 through which the reciprocations of the rocking lever 22 are transmitted to means forming no part of the present invention for pulling the paper through the platen the paper being pulled when the rod 23 is moving upwardly.

The disc 26 is connected to a source of power, not shown, at such times subsequent printing as it is required to pull the paper through the platen, it being understood that the means for actuating the disc 26 together with the paper feeding means form no part of the present invention.

The re-winding device according to the present disclosure is fixed, by its frame 5 to a i support frame 25 of the machine, the roller R preferably being disposed near the top of the frame 25 as shown.

Attached to the rod 23, preferably adjustably by means of a collar and set screw 31, is an arm 27 carrying a hook 28 to which is attached an eye 29 connected to the end of the tape T of the re-winding device.

In the position of the parts as shown, the rod 23 is at the lowermost point of its travel, and the tape T is unwound from. the pulley or reel 11, so that the spring 7 is tensioned ready for rotating the roller R upon the tape being released by the arm 23 moving up wardly. As hereinbefore stated, the paper is pulled through the platen during the upward movement of the arm 23, and thus, due to the roller being rotated during this movement by the spring 7, the paper pulled through the platen is wound on the roller R and the tape T re-wound on the reel 11. When the arm 23 moves downwardly again the tape T will be unwound from the pulley or reel 11, the roller R remaining stationary due to the ratchet running free.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the tape T is pulled equal amounts at each paper feeding operation, the amount the tape is moved preferably being variable by providing that the arm 27 is adjustable on the rod 23.

Further it will be clear that the re-winding device is readily attachable to the machine as and when required. A

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a tabulating machine the combination with the platen of a paper receiving roller having an operating knob, a pulley mounted co-axially with the roller, a ratchet device connecting the pulley to the roller, a tape wound round the pulley, means for pulling the tape equal amounts on each paper feeding operation, a spring adapted to be tensioned by the pulley when turned by the pull on the tape, and means for releasing the tape whereon the spring returns the pulley, thereby turning the paper receiving roller through the ratchet device and winding up the paper.

2. In a tabulating machine the combination with the platen of a paper receiving roller having an operating knob, a pulley mounted co-axially with the roller, a ratchet device connecting the pulley to the roller, a tape wound round the pulley, means for pulling the tape equal amounts on each paper feeding operation, a spring adapted to be tensioned by the pulley when turned by the pull on the tape, and means for releasing the tape whereon the spring returns the pulley, thereby turning the paper receiving roller through the ratchet device and winding up the paper, and means for preventing retrograde movement of the roller at the end of a winding operation tending to be effected by any tension in the paper being wound.

3. In a tabulating machine the combination with the platen of apaper receiving roller having an operating knob, a pulley mounted co-axially with the roller, a ratchet device connecting the pulley to the roller, a tape wound round the pulley, means for pullin the tape equal amounts on each paper fee ing operation, a spring adapted to be tensioned by the pulley when turned by the pull on the tape, and means for releasing the tape whereon the spring returns the pulley, thereby turning the paper receiving roller through the ratchet device and winding up the paper,

and a second ratchet device associated with the roller for preventing retrograde movement of the roller at the end of a winding op eration tending to, be effected by any tension in the paper being wound.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 1 ARTHUR THOMAS. 

